Shout out to Levihanlover77 who I can't reply to as you are a guest. Thanks for reviewing actively it really means a lot! ((Although I'm more of a Levi x Petra dude)) :P Also shout out to everyone who's reviewed so far, It helps me a lot!
Nathaniel Gould - 17
The door to my bedroom creeks open as I step outside onto the hall. The Coldness of the wood floor quickly reacts with the bottom of my feet as I continue walking down the hall. I make it to my sister's room and open the door as quietly as I can. I peer into the darkness as I spot Amber. Everyone says we look like other mother and say its obvious we're related as we have the same blonde hair and the same tanned skin. The resemblance is striking and actually uncanny. One main difference is how her eyes are a teal colour and mine are more of a soft gold. I peer around her room once more before closing her door and letting the darkness surround her once more.
The silence coming from my parents room suggests that nobody is up and I have the whole house to myself for a few hours. The stairs creek as I walk down them, trying not to wake up my house and thankfully manage to make it downstairs successfully without anybody stirring.
I spot the mess that was last night's board game. It failed miserably and left everyone to go to bed in a bad mood and secretly wanting to murder their family, normal games night for the Gould family I guess. I pick a card up off the floor 'Send one counter of your choice back 9 spaces' This card probably destroyed a relationship or two in its lifetime.
I shove the board and the cards under the coach and walk into the front room. Apart from my bedroom this is probably the room I spend the most time in. I managed to buy a pull-up bar for myself about a year ago and normally use it when I get up and before I go to sleep, the reaping is no exception.
I place both hands on the cold metal of the bar and start pulling myself up. Five, Six, Seven. Just As I'm about to complete my 9th pull up the bar makes a squeaky creaking noise. My eyes widen as the bar suddenly succumbs to my weight and crashes to the group resulting in a loud crash.
I hear two doors slam against the door-frame.
I guess the whole house to myself fell crashing to the ground. Literally
"Nathaniel are you down there?" I hear my mother shout from her room.
I stand up, rubbing my back. "Yes mother, sorry If I woke you I just dropped something."
My mother comes rushing down the stairs in her pink dressing gown.
"You should hide the mess before your father see's, he'll probably get mad and you know what he's like when he gets mad at you." My mother says softly. "And after last night he's not really that happy with you."
I don't have to be told twice as I nod and go and pick up the heap of metal that used to be my pull-up bar. One year that's pretty good for something made in District 9. Although it has helped me a lot, I bought it for exercise and it turned into a hobby and something that relaxes me.
I hear my mother shout from the kitchen. "Nathaniel have you finished your homework? No school today will help you catch up with the work me and your father gave you. There's a lot of it."
I'm just about to reply as my Sister comes rushing down the stairs, already fully dressed. Her bracelets clashing together with a soothing sound. Her curly blonde hair bouncing as she walks.
She spots me on the floor picking up metal and she walks over to me, the look in her eyes means she wants something and I guess I'm the unlucky one she wants it from.
"I'm going out with Charlie and Mei later and they said I'm not allowed any more pocket-money until my grades get back on track." She gestures to my mother as she says 'they'.
"And you're telling me this why?
"Isn't it obvious brother? You're the only person I can get it off without force, although if you make me use force I wont be afraid to use it." She says, staring me in the eye.
I laugh. "Amber you are talking to your brother here anywa-" I start to say
"I could go steal it from someone, wouldn't that ruin your little reputation with your student council?" She says slyly.
"Or I could go and tell Pastiel how much you actually love him." I reply
"Oh shut up, you're too scared to talk to him yourself!" She shouts. Her tone of voice has changed dramatic at the mention of her love.
She stands up and starts walking away until she raises her hand in the air then with a great force brings it down and slaps herself across the face.
She makes a loud screaming noise and starts crying. "Ouch! Mum Nathaniel just slapped me for trying to pick up his bar!"
I'm completely shocked by what just happened as I finally realize what just happened.
"I d-didn't even touch her! I was nowhere n-near her!"
My mother goes rushing over to Amber. And places her hand underneath her chin and lifts her head so she can see it. There's a red hand print on where her hand was a few seconds ago.
"What you expect me to believe? That your sister hit herself? Nathaniel this is getting out of hand. You always seem to attack your sister for no reason. I think you need some help."
I start trying to reason with her, telling her to check the size of the hand print. Everything I say just turns into more trouble for me.
"Go get ready for the reaping, your father will have to deal with this."
I walk towards the stairs, head facing the ground, refusing to look at either my mother or sister. As I walk past my sister she lets out a sacred whimper which causes me to look up at her ever growing smirk. How can a 14 year old be so deceiving and conniving?
Oh you know exactly how.
Aviva Vito - 15
"Rye does your aunt know you're over at our house, she'll be pretty worried if she didn't know where you were." My sister, Zia asks my best friend
"Um y-yea I told her t-this morning, she knows I'm here and I'll be going home after the reaping, Miss Vito."
"Rye I've known you since you could barely walk, but if you ever call me Miss ever again you will be back to barely walking..." Rye's face is priceless as my sister finishes her sentence. "I'm joking, relax."
She reaches out and starts pulling Rye's cheeks "You're so adorable, please don't even grow up." Rye starts blushing and looks at me.
I start laughing at Rye's awkwardness and use the 'secret hand gesture language' that we both made up to gesture 'Relax'
He smiles and gestures. 'Don't worry I'm trying' from across the birch wood table.
"You two are so weird. I'm going to make a coffee before we leave, you two want one?"
"No thanks, Coffee is too bitter for me and Rye doesn't need the extra energy." I say sarcastically.
"Haha very funny. You should become a comedian." He says as a counter argument.
"I would but you're the only one who finds me funny."
"Hey I find you funny, sometimes, when you're not being weird." My sister calls from across the room.
The kettle boils and makes a loud ping as my sister pours her cup. She brings it over and sits down with us on the table. "So Rye what's been happening with you lately? Anything good?"
"If you count getting a B on my History test then No, nothing good has happened. Anything with you?"
"My boss is still flirting with me, its pretty creepy seeing as he's more than double my age. If my looks are keeping me in with my Job then I can't really complain."
They continue talking to each other as I zone out and look at the drawings I drew on the wood table, drawing was the thing I used when my parents died, it was five years ago in a workers protest. The people who worked on the farm thought they were working too hard and getting too little pay, it resulted in about a thousand deaths and the working conditions being made even more harsh with a very little increased pay. The peacekeeper force became stricter and many became widows and orphaned. The District is still recovering.
The drawings on the table range from childlike squiggles to detailed drawing of faces, my sister got mad that I drew on all the table and she couldn't stop me. So we compromised and she let me draw on a quarter of the table only, although she does try to clean it sometimes.
"Aviva"? I hear my sister say softly. I snap back into reality as both Rye and Zia are looking at me. "How's the painting coming along?" I stare at her blankly. "The painting you've been working on for about two months? Don't tell me you've forgotten about it already?"
Oh that painting. I look over to the barely started painting, resting in the corner of the room looking like an unwanted piece of furniture. "Yea I'm not really in the mood to finish it, not been in the mood for the past month to finish it."
I stand up from the table and wave for Rye to come with me. "We'll be heading to the reaping Zia, I'll see you after okay?"
As we leave the door Rye shouts "Bye Miss Vito." I stare at him,
"Do you understand she's probably going to murder you when she next she's you?"
"I'll be ready, anyway why does she hate being called Miss so much?" He says as he scratches his head.
"I don't think she likes Miss because it makes her seem old, she's already having to do the motherly responsibilities since she was 17. I guess she likes being young."
We continue talking as we head to the reaping and I see my reflection in a shop window. I gesture for Rye to stop moving and he does as I say.
I tower over Rye as I've been told I'm pretty big and he's a small for a fifteen year old, My long wavy hair falls over both my shoulders and my hazel eyes matches my hair. I spot Rye make an unusual gesture with his hands in the shop window. Its one of the many gestures we made up. 'You look beautiful today' I quickly turn around and his blushed face is quickly matched by mine.
"Um, thanks you look um beautiful today as well, I guess." I say, unsure if it's the right thing to say.
We both burst into laughter and laugh at each other for a good five minutes before we actually realize its time to go to the reaping. We still have a good Half an hour before the reaping so we take the longer way to buy more time. Its times like this when only having one friend is really better than having all the friends in the world.
I spot a person down an alleyway who looks like he's playing with some cats, as well as feeding them. This simple deed makes me smile as me and Rye continue walking to the reaping.
Nathaniel Gould - 17
The cats are all over me, clawing at my white shirt, playing with my tie. I think one just tried to grab the pen in my top pocket. You're all so beautiful, such a shame I can't take any of you home. I drop last of the tuna on the floor as the cats suddenly forget what they're doing and start diving for the tuna, giving me time to make my speedy getaway.
As I'm about to get out of the alleyway I feel a force jump on my back, the pain is excruciating and I fall face first on the concrete floor. I hear a snicker from behind as I turn and find the one and Only Pastiel walking his demon of a dog.
"Keep that d-dog away from me, and while we're at it you can stay away too." I shout.
Pastiel snickers and replies with "Don't worry, it means he likes you. If he mauls you to death that also means he likes you."
"Hilarious Pastiel."I say with a sigh.
His long black hair follows him as he walks off down the alleyway. "Later Nathaniel, watch out for my dog next time. I might not be here to stop him loving you."
I stand up and dust myself off. Filthy dog. I despise dogs, they're just needy and tend to make unneeded noise. Although Pastiel was actually nice to me for once. Maybe he and Amber actually sorted something out? Probably not. He hates everything in my family.
Making it out of the darkness I spot Amber and her two friends pushing over a girl and taking her money. I rush over but I don't make it in time to manage to get the money back.
"Madam are you okay? I'm sorry if my sister caused you any harm. How much money did she take off you?"
She looks at me, dumbfounded. "The names Candy glad to meet you." She holds out her hand and I shake it.
"Name's Nathaniel, and that was my sister Amber. But Candy? That's an Unusual name for someone In District 9."
"Yea I Guess my family liked sweets. But you should really get a hold on your sister. She stole ten dollars off me. She's a real brat."
I reach into my pockets and pull out fifteen dollars and hand it to her. "Here take it, as a sorry from my sister."
She takes it out of my hand and says a silent thank you. "Walk to the reaping with me?"
We both walk to the reaping, finding out more about each other. Her blonde hair often getting in the way off her mouth, making her cough on it. After about ten minutes we make it to the Reaping and thank God. She was nice and everything but she talked too much, way too much.
I walk into the seventeen year old section as I spot Pastiel standing and make sure I stand far on the other side of the section from him. Unfortunately he spots me and makes it his duty to walk over. At least you can't bring dogs into the Reaping.
"Hey Nathan still shaken up from the encounter of the beast from before."
"The names Nathaniel don't call me Nathan ever aga-"
The loud sound of the Capitol anthem cuts off my conversation as we're forced to turn our attention to the front of the stage. The ridiculously looking escort starts making a speech on how's she's happy to be here. It's just the same old same old. She starts playing the capitol video and I every time I watch it I pick out another detail, I guess an upside to the student council is you pay attention to every little detail. Like this time the Capitol has 12 buildings in this shot, or that's a dead baby! in another shot. Details that matter.
The Video ends and the Escort makes another speech about how lucky these future tributes will be
She walks over to the female bowl and smiles into the crowd, making eye contact with everyone possible.
"Ahem, the lucky tribute this year Is." She unfolds the piece of paper, obviously loving every second of it. "Aviva Vito."
Aviva Vito - 15
I hear a scream from the back of the crowd as I know only one girl could do that scream, my sister. I turn around and spot her running towards the square only to be restricted by peacekeepers. She like me, shares a hatred for them.
"No, you can't take her as well, you took my parents now you want to take my sister! You monsters!" She's quickly silenced by the peacekeeper who places a hand over her mouth.
I tell my feet to move but they wont listen, just like the rest of my body unsure of what really just happened. Was my name really just called to be the chosen death this year from District 9? I feel two peacekeepers grab me and drag me up the stage, my body still refusing to move. They push me up the stairs to the stage as my body finally regains control over my body again. She asks for volunteers but as always silence falls over the District once more
"Oh my what a dashing tribute, you just stand right here Miss." She puts her hands on my shoulders and moves me towards the microphone, just stopping before it.
"Onto the boys."
My eyes stay locked on the ground, refusing to look at the District below. I hear the ruffling of the bowl and it comes to a stop as the males name is picked out.
"The lucky boy this year is." She pauses for a while, I look at Rye who looks eager to volunteer. I gesture the simple phrase 'no' to him and he seems to understand as the lack of determination becomes visible. "Nathaniel Gould."
A tall blonde guy walks out of the seventeen year old section. He has a smile plastered onto his face. He remains fazed as if he hasn't just been pulled out of a life from a family to a place where you have a high of fatality.
He makes it to the stage as the Escort asks for volunteers. A familiar silence falls onto the district, saying that this is my district partner.
"Congratulations to the two tributes who are going to represent District 9 in the 35th Annual hunger games!"
She starts clapping, trying to get the District to erupt in Uproar.
Silence consumes the District once more.
Updates should be back on track!(Finally)as I've got my inspiration back to continue urging me to write. Okay so here we meet the Two tributes from District 9, I enjoyed writing them and they are pretty cool characters anyway. A cool character makes a cool story! :P I really hoped I wrote your characters well and I hope you enjoyed reading the shenanigans of your characters. Okay so I'm really hyped for the Reapings to be over and we can start getting back to seeing characters who we haven't seen since February (Also hyped to start writing the Characters interactions which will be pretty soon.)
Question time. ((These questions are just questions I've been wondering and I don't know so I want your Opinions on them))
1. A simple question. Would you rather me keep the Tributes on my profile without their author's name or with their author's name? I've been wondering if I should change it and now is a better time than ever. So change or keep the same? ((Blue pill or Red pill))((shut up))
2. Final Question((Of two questions)). I want to bring in a sponsor system. But I don't want to do the "Review and get {insert number of points here}" I don't really want to include points at all. I think the points idea is pretty confusing and I don't really like it ((This is just my opinion and I hope this doesn't stop you doing whatever you want with your syot/story. I just don't like how much it can change the course of the story)) So does anyone have any ideas on how to implement a sponsor system without actually having a system? (Confusing right?)
The Reapings are drawing to a close and as the final 3 districts should be done within two weeks. District 10 up by Saturday.
Thank you for reading. As Always reviews, constructive criticism and Anything else is greatly Appreciated :)